MI vs GG | Harmanpreet fifty and Ismail-Kerr bowling heroics outlast Fulmali blitzkrieg in Mumbai win

Asked to bat first on Tuesday, Hayley Matthews got Mumbai Indians off to a flying start with a maximum and a boundary in Deandra Dottin's first over. However, her search for a reliable partner at the top of the order continued as the promoted Amelia Kerr was comprehensively runout by a direct hit from Phoebe Litchfield after facing just nine deliveries, but it did little to deter Hayley's momentum as she struck two more fours and a six in the ensuing over to take the powerplay score to 44/1. Gardner resonded by introducing Priya Mishra into the attack and the spinner rewarded her captain with the Windies big hitter's scalp in just six deliveries, bringing Harmanpreet Kaur and Natalie Sciver-Brunt together at the crease. The latter had endured a sedate start to her knock, managing just 13 of as many deliveries to begin, before switching gears with two boundaries off Mishra in the ninth over. Kaur, meanwhile, walked out with intent and showed little hesitation in joining the party as the duo added 59 rapid runs in just six and a half overs until Natalie holed out off Gardner, her 31-ball 38 further strengthening the grip on the orange cap. Amanjot Kaur ensured the wicket did not result in a pendulum swing as she joined her captain in smashing boundaries, her 27 off 15 balls helping stitching together another quick stand of 34. Harmanpreet eventually brought up her half-century in the penultimate over while Sajeevan Sajana and Yastika Bhatia provided the finishing touches with quick cameos to help set a formidable target of 180.

In response, Shabnim Ismail and Natalie displayed an exhibition of swing bowling, culminating in Beth Mooney trying to slam the first ball of Hayley out of the park only to find Sanskriti Gupta inside the ring. Nevertheless, the in-form Harleen Deol strut out brimming with confidence and struck a hattrick of boundaries straightaway to seize back impetus, albeit it was not enough to keep Kashbi from trying to break the shackles on the penultimate ball of the powerplay and succumbing in the process after a 14-ball struggle. Shabnim added the crucial scalp of Gardner just three deliveries later to further dent Gujarat hopes and Kerr getting rid of Deol left the visitors needing a mammoth 123 runs in the last 11 overs with just six wickets in hand. Phoebe Litchfield tried to make a game out of it with a brief boundary spree in her 22-run cameo, only to meet the same fate as her teammates courtesy of Shabnim yet again, and Deandra Dottin's departure in the 13th over seemed to practically confirm the results. However, Bharti Fulmali disagreed as she tried to do it all alone, beginning with two fours to end the 13th over, followed by two more boundaries and as many sixes in the next two overs to bring the equation down to a gettable 55 off the final four overs. More carnage followed when Kerr came on to bowl her final over with Fulmali accumulating 16 runs in three balls but the Kiwi had the last laugh by dispatching the big-hitter with her final delivery. Simran Shaikh ensured the game remained on a knife edge by beginning the next over with another six, and Tanuja Kanwar played a nifty lofted reverse-sweep and a hook for four each to leave 23 to get off the last two. The penultimate over by Natalie produced 10 runs and when Tanuja sacrificed herself on the first ball of the final over, Simrah found herself 13 to get. She danced down the track but Hayley's off-break snuck through, paving the patch for a nine-run MI win.

What the heck!

No way

Fastest

Turned!

Well played

Extraordinary

Yes

Litreally

How?

Great